Combination ice creeper and guard device



April 10, 1934. w, R. LEAGUE 1,954,569

COMBINATION ICE CREEPER AND GUARD DEVICE Filed Jan. 3, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inlfenm wan @5825 %4401 t A ril 10, 1934. w. R. LEAGUE COMBINATION ICE CREEPER AND GUARD DEVICE Filed Jan. 3. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mine-S's I l I 1%,

Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES COMBINATION ICE CREEPER AND GUARD DEVICE Walter B. .League, Calwa, Calif.

Application January 3, 1933, Serial No. 649,950

3 Claims.

My invention relates more especially to a nonslip device to be worn on the shoes of persons whose duties require them to stand on icy or slippery surfaces while engaged in pushing and 5 directing or otherwise manipulating heavy cakes of ice.

My invention has for its object the provision of a device which can be conveniently applied and worn over the type of shoes commonly worn by persons generally engaged in such manual labor and compelled to walk on the slippery runways or surfaces while performing such labor.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a device which may easily and quickly be removed and which at the same time will not hinder the walking of the user nor in any way interfere with the usual desired flexibility of the wearers shoes.

My invention also has for its object the provision of a non-slip device or creeper which will afford proper protection for the toes and insteps of the wearer against accidental injury from falling heavy objects or cakes of ice as frequently encountered during the operation of directing and pushing large pieces or cakes of ice along run-ways.

The above enumerated objects as well as the advantages inherent in my invention will all be fully comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, where- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved device shown applied to a shoe.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a shoe with my improved device applied.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the device.

.My improved device is intended to be readily applied to the shoe on a users foot and in order not to interfere with the usual flexing of the shoe-sole, I preferably provide a sole portion 10 composed of suitable flexible material, such as leather, and which preferably is made coextensive with the sole and heel of the shoe as shown.

This sole portion 10 is provided with metal plates 11, 12 and 13- which are rigidly secured to the sole portion 10 in any suitable manner, as for example by the rivets indicated at 14.

The plates 12 and 13 extend entirely across the sole portion 10; plate 12 being arranged beneath the ball of the foot, and plate 13 is arranged centrally beneath the heel of the foot; while plate 11 is disposed at the front or tip of the sole portion 10. These plates are all provided with sharp downwardly disposed pins or projections; the toeplate 11 being shown with a spike or projection 15; plate 12 with a pair of projections or spikes 15; while heel plate 13 is preferably provided with a number of spikes or projections 15, arranged as shown. These spikes are preferably formed of hard steel and may be riveted, welded or otherwise immovably secured to the respective plates; the spikes being of length sufficient to afford firm gripping relation with the surface on which the user is compelled to walk or stand.

The plate 11 is secured to the sole portion 10 so it will extend somewhat forward of the sole portion, while the plate 12 is preferably made to extend beyond the sides of the sole portion 10, as shown more clearly in Figure 3.

To the extended portions of these plates I secure the ends of the metal rods or steel bars 16, 16 and 17. The bars 16, 16 are secured at one of their ends to plate 11 and thence arched or bowed rearwardly across the toe of the shoe in a diverging manner toward opposite sides where their other ends are secured to the extended ends of the plate 12; the ends of the bars being rigidly secured to the plates.

The bar 17 is arched transversely of the shoe or sole portion 10, with its ends rigidly secured to the extended ends of the plate 12 and preferably forward of the points of connection between the plate and the bars or rods 16, 16; and this bar or rod 17 is also preferably welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the bars 16, 16.

With the bars 16, 16 arching forwardly in a converging manner across the toe portion of the device and with the bar 17 disposed farther rearward and arching across the foot, a guard for the toes and forward part of the foot is provided. affording full protection against falling cakes or heavy pieces of ice.

The forward portions of the arched bars 16, 16 are further reenforced by a short cross-bar 18, whose ends are welded or otherwise secured to the bars 16, 16.

This cross-bar 18 also provides a means of attachment for a strap 19, whose upper end is formed into a loop at 20 to receive the ankle en- 100 circling or fastening strap 21, which latter is provided with suitable adjustable fastening, such as the usual tongue buckle shown at 22, which enables the device to be readily and adjustably secured to the wearers shoe and as quickly re- 1415 moved when desired.

The heel plate is of length materially greater than the transverse dimensions of the heel of the sole portion 10, in order that the plate 13 may be bent into substantially U shape, and the upstand- 110 ing ends 23 of the plate disposed on opposite sides of the heel of the shoe and wearers foot, thus preventing sidewise movement of the device relative to the wearers foot.

The upper ends of these upstanding portions 23 are shown provided with metal loops 24 which may be a reduced integral portion of the plate ends 23 or be welded thereto; the loops 24 providing means for securing one end of the strap 21 with the buckle-holding portion thereto on one side of the device and to permit the strap 21 to pass through the loop on the other side of the foot and thus cause the device to be firmly anchored or strapped on the shoe of the wearer.

The strap arrangement shown in the drawings is intended for the right foot, with the buckle disposed on the outside of the foot; the strap attachment for the left foot being simply reversed so as to have the buckle 22 disposed on the opposite side of the device.

Where the buckle holding portion of the strap is separate from the remainder of the strap 21, the metal loop 24, on what may be termed the outer side of the device, may be made to extend in a longitudinal direction if desired, as shown in Figures 2 and 3; although both loop extensions of the side heel portions 23 may be identical.

As is apparent from the construction, the device can be readily applied by inserting the toe of the shoe beneath the rigid guard portion consisting of the arched connected rods l6, l6 and 1'? and beneath the strap 19 and then bringing the heel of the shoe down between the upstanding portions 23 of the heel plate until the heel of the shoe rests on the sole portion 10 of the device. The strap 21 is then adjusted around the foot into snug relation.

The device will then be firmly anchored to the shoe and with the flexible sole portion 10, walking will not be hampered or interfered with; while on the other hand the users firm footing on slippery surfaces is ensured, thus permitting him to exert his full strength in the performance of his duties, such as pushing and directing heavy pieces or cakes of ice along a defined path. At the same time, the usual hazards or possibility of injury resulting from falling pieces or cakes of ice is entirely eliminated because of the rigid guard formed by the elements 16, 16, 17 and 18 across the foot, as well as the guard resulting from the upturned ends of the heel plate; these guards being formed so as to aiford ample strength without adding undue weight to the device.

Upon releasing the buckle 20, the wearers foot may be quickly withdrawn.

I have shown and described what is believed a simple embodiment of the invention, which has been described in terms employed for purposes of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural modifications are possible without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the characterdescribed adapted to be worn on a shoe, comprising a flexible sole; plates secured to the bottom of the sole and each provided with ice penetrating projections, said plates extending beyond the tip and sides of the sole, the plate at the heel end of the sole being bent upwardly on opposite sides of the sole to receive the heel of the shoe therebetween and terminating at the top in slotted portions; a pair of arched rods secured to the plate at the tip of the sole and to the ends of a second plate at opposite sides of the sole; a third rod arched transversely of the sole and secured to the ends of said second plate, in proximity to said pair of rods; a cross-bar secured to the forward portion of said pair of rods; a strap secured to said crossbar; and a foot-encircling strap slidably secured to the first strap and to said slotted portions of said upwardly disposed portions of the plate at the heel end.

2. A device of the character described adapted to be worn on a shoe, comprising a flexible sole; a spike carrying toe-plate secured beneaththe toe end of the sole so as to project forward; a

' spike carrying plate disposed transversely of the sole forward of the instep portion thereof, with the ends of said plate extending beyond opposite sides of the sole; a spike carrying U-sha-ped plate secured beneath the heel-end of the sole with ends disposed upwardly on opposite sides to receive the heel of the shoe therebetween; the upper ends of said upwardly disposed portions of the U- shaped plate being provided with slotted portions; a pair of arched rods secured to the toeplate and diverging rearwardly to opposite sides of the sole and secured to the second mentioned plate; a third arched rod disposed transversely with its ends secured at opposite sides of the sole to said second mentioned plate, said third rod being rigidly secured to said pair of rods; a cross-bar intermediate of the forward portions of said pair of rods and secured thereto; a strap secured to said cross-bar disposed rearwardly and provided with a loop; and an attaching strap disposed through said loop and the slotted portions of the U-shaped plate and adapted to encircle the shoe, whereby the device is removably secured in place.

3. A device of the character described adapted to be worn on a shoe and comprising a single piece sole portion of flexible material, a plurality of rigid plates provided with downwardly dispoced ice gripping projections and immovably secured to the sole, one plate being secured to protrude beyond the sole-tip, a second plate secured at the ball portion of the foot with its ends extending beyond the sides of the sole, while a third plate is secured transversely of the heel with its ends bent upwardly beyond the top of the sole portion; non-bendable rods secured at their ends to the protruding ends of the first and second mentioned plates and disposed in lengthwise and transverse directions at the toe receiving end of the device in spaced relation above the sole portion and arranged to prevent movement of the shoe forward beyondthe sole portion; attaching means secured adjacent the forward ends of the longitudinally disposed rods; and an axial encircling member adjustably secured to said means and to the upwardly disposed ends of the third or heel plate of the device whereby the device is detachably secured on a shoe.

WALTER R. LEAGUE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 1,954,569. April 10, 1934.

WALTER R. LEAGUE.

l! is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 109, claim 2, for "sole" read sole; and line 138, claim 3, for "axial" read ankle; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of May, A. i). 1934.

Bryan M. Battey (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

